Shower head



S. A. YOUNG Sept. 2, 1958 SHOWERHEAD Fiied May 11, 1954 Wis- -zilrUnited States Patent Office 2,850,328 Patented Sept. 2, 1958 SHOWER HEADStephen A. Young, Delphi, Ind.

Application May 11, 1954, Serial No. 428,866

6 Claims. (Cl. 299-141) This invention relates to shower heads and moreparticularly to certain novel constructions thereof, which enable theprovision of a shower head formed of a composite nature.

In presently constructed shower heads, the same are usually formed witha body and ball joint, together with a face plate, for directing thespray from the shower head in the usual manner. However, the individualparts of the shower head, are usually formed of'castings or equalmaterial, and thus raise problems as to cost in view of the finishing ofcastings and in addition to actual size of the casting is a factor.

Heretofore when shower heads have been furnished, and in view of theiruse in water of various chemical properties, it has been necessary touse a material such as brass which is resistant to corrosion and thegeneral effects of impurities in water. Further, when brass or the likematerial is used, when it comes to putting a finish on the same which ispreferred such as the usual chromium plating, it is also inherent thatexpensive operational procedures must be carried out such as the usualpolishing, bufiing, and other subsequent handling to complete thefinishing operation.

In the present invention, a composite shower head of simple constructionis provided, making possible the use of metal such as brass for carryingwater and at the same time enclosing the water carrying part of theshower head in a less expensively finished and furnished casing, so thatin the final analysis the product resembles in all respects the usualshower heads but is much more easily formed and with considerably lesscost during the manufacture.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention, to provide ashower head of composite nature having a body formed of suitable waterimpurity resisting material, and to enclose the same in a casing whichis easily finished, and yet makes possible the use of a face platethrough which the water is distributed, all of the same being combinedin a manner to serve the purpose of a shower head and at substantiallyless cost than is presently the case.

A more specific object of the invention, is to provide a shower headwherein the body as above set forth is provided, and to encase the samein a suitably finishable casing, with novel means of connecting therespective parts together and maintaining the same in their connectedrelation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shower head wherein themanner of connection of the casing with the body may be effected byavailing of threads which not only are usable for attaching the usualball joints thereto, but also to assist in maintaining the casing inplace surrounding the body. In this latter construction, the addedfeature of positioning the casing on the body by the provision of asuitable formation of the casing so as to complete the enclosure by thesame with respect to the body is also a feature.

Another object of the invention, is to provide a shower head of acomposite nature, wherein the body of the same is enclosed in a casing,and to additionally provide for maintaining the casing in place upon thebody by reason of the deformation of a gasket so as to cause the saidgasket to engage both the body and the casing in a novel manner wherebydisplacement of the casing from its position is prevented.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange the respective parts,including the casing and body together with the gasket availed of,whereby the gasket may be caused to effect its positioning action byreason of the manner of attachment of the face plate to the shower headand its adjustment with respect thereto.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from aconsideration of the specification appended hereto and shown in thedrawing wherein:

Figure l is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a shower" headshowing the relationship of the various parts thereof.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the formation of aportion of the casing availed of.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken about on the line 33 of Figure 1further illustrating the form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a bottom view showing the configuration of the casing therelationship of the face plate and its mounting screw with respectthereto.

Referring now to Figure 1 in the drawing, it will be seen that a bodymember generally designated 1 is provided, the same being ofsubstantially cylindrical nature and having an inlet section at 2 and anoutlet section at 3. The inlet section 2 is furnished on its outersurface with suitable threads 4, and interially thereof with a suitableshoulder 5 for receiving and supporting a gasket 6. The gasket 6 isfurnished in order to provide a leakproof connection with a ball joint7, the ball joint 7 including the ball section 8 and a portion 9 whichincludes threads not shown but which facilitate the attachment of theshower head as a whole to a source of supply of water.

The ball joint 7 at the ball portion 8 thereof is maintained in positionwith respect to the body 1 by means of the usual ball joint nut 10, thesame having threads 11 therein for cooperation with the threads 4previously referred to. Of course the ball joint 7 is provided with apassage 12 therein through which the water flows into the interior ofthe body 1.

The outlet end 3 of the body 1, the same is flared as shown, andincludes a shoulder generally designated 13, having a cylindrical face14 thereon and a flat face 15 at substantially right angles to the face14, the same being preferably substantially a seat.

Suitably integrally formed with the body 1 is a cross piece 16, the samebeing equipped at its central portion with threads to receive thethreaded section 17 of a face plate screw 18. The face plate screw 18 isintended to maintain the face plate 19 in place with respect to the body1 as will be understood, the face plate 19 being equipped with the usualperforations 20 therein suitably spaced and adapted to direct the sprayformed thereby in a suitable pattern. The face plate 19 is shown in thisinstance as being of convex configuration although not necessarilylimited thereto.

It should be pointed not that the body 1 in this invention, is formedpreferably of a brass casting or other suitable corrosion resistantmaterial, and is intended to be entirely hidden or substantially so bymeans of a suitable casing generally designated 21. The casing 21 may beof any preferred form and in this instance is tapered from the upper endtoward the outer end, the

upper end being equipped with a threaded section 22, more particularlyshown in Figure 2, the threaded section 22 being of such form as 'toengage and cooperate with the threads 4 formed on the body 1 at theinlet end 2 thereof. 7

The other end of the casing 21 is formed at its periphery with aninwardly rolled section 23, which section 23 is formed so as to lieclosely adjacent the portion 14 of the shoulder 13. By thisconstruction, the positioning'of the body 1 within the casing 21 isfurther established as will be apparent.

Seated on the surface 15 of the shoulder 13, is a suitable gasket 24,the same being preferably of rubber or the like resilient material, andof a size. to fit closely within the inwardly rolled portion 23 of thecasing 21. The gasket 24 is likewise engaged by the periphery of theface plate 19, and when the screw 18 of the said face plate is drawninwardly, the gasket 24 is forced against the face 15 of the shoulder 13and also outwardly against the inwardly rolled portion 23 of the casing21. This serves the purpose of preventing rotation of the casing 21 onthe threads 22, and thus additionally positions the said casing inplace. Further there is no leakage permitted at the edge of the'faceplate 19' and between the portion 23 and the face 14 of the shoulder 13,compelling all of the water delivered into the interior of the body 1 tobe delivered as desired through the perforations 20 in the usual manner.

In assembling the article above generally and specifically described, itwill be understood that the body 1 is inserted into the interior of thecasing 21 through the end at which the rolled portion 23 is formed, andthereafter manipulated in a manner to cause the threaded section 22 ofthe casing to engage and move along the threads 4 of the inlet section 2of the body. 1. When the casing 21 has been positioned so as to be inthe location substantially as shown in Figure l, thereafter the gasket24 may be positioned and subsequently the face plate 19 placed incontact therewith. Afterwards the screw 18 is suitably manipulated so asto cause the deformation of the gasket 24 and its locating and sealingoperation to take place. With the parts as above generally outlined inplace, subsequently the ball joint 7 may be positioned andthe nut 10suitably engaged with the threads in the usual manner.

It should be pointed out that the provision of a composite shower unitof this type is desirable since it is possible to use a casing 21 of amaterial which is not so diificult to finish and does not necessarilyhave to be as water resistant as the portion 1, all of the same beingprovided so as to make for ready assembly and simple and inexpensivemanufacture.

I claim:

1. In a shower head of the class described, in combination, a body, aninlet and an outlet end for said body, a separate casing surroundingsaid body, means at said ends for positioning the casing on the body,said means including a face plate, a gasket intermediate the face r 4 rplate and body and instrumentalities for deforming the gasket, causingthe same to frictionally engage the body, casing and face plate. V

2. In a shower head of the class described,.in combination, a bodyadapted to receive and direct fluid therethrough, an outlet section forsaid body, a casing surrounding and substantially enclosing said body,said casing having a portion positioned closely adjacent the outletsection, and means for maintaining said casing and body in connectedrelation including a gasket at said outlet section and a part forcausing said gasket, to engage said section and casing.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the part comprises aface plate, the outlet section is formed with a shoulder, the gasket isseated on said shoulder and means are provided to cause said face. plateto force the gasket against the shoulder and easing.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the casing is providedwith a flange portion lying closely adjacent the shoulder, the gasket isengaged by .the periphery of the face plate, and a screw'member ismounted in the body and adjustable to force the gasket into engagementwith the shoulder of the body and flange portion of the casing.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 2, 'wherein the casing is formedwith an inwardly rolled peripheral portion positioned closely adjacent ashoulder on the outlet section of the body, the gasket is seated on saidshoulder, a face plate engages said gasket, and an adjustable member isprovided to maintain the face plate in place and cause the gasket toengage the shoulder and rolled peripheral portion of the casing.

6. In a shower head of the. class described, in combination, a bodyhaving inlet and outlet ends, said body providing for passage of fluidtherethrough, a separate casing surrounding said body, means at theinlet end of said body engaging a corresponding section of the casing toposition the same thereon, means at the outlet end of the body forpositionnig the casing with respect there to, both of said means lyingoutside of the flow of fluid through the body, and means engaging thecasing to prevent displacement of the same from the body, said lastnamed means including a face plate, a gasket intermediate the face plateand the body, and a member for fastening the face plate to the body,said member likewise elfecting pressure on said gasket to cause the sameto engage both the body and casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,561,275 Page Nov. 10, 1925 1,824,518 Vedovelli .4... Sept. 22, 19311,906,991 McTernan May 2, 1933 2,086,017 Donahue July 6, '1937 2,201,779Lathrop May 21, 1940 2,473,775 Allen June 21, 1949

